Jesus Heals a Man With a Demon

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Demons

In the last half of this chapter Jesus demonstrates His power over three areas of life:

Demons - (vv. 26-39)

Death- (vv. 40-42;49-56)

Disease- (vv. 43-48)

A demon possessed man met Jesus when He landed at Gadara on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee (vv. 26-29). We find that it is possible for more than one demon to indwell in a human being because it says a"legion” of demons dwelt within this poor man (v.30). The word “legion” as used here stood for a large number. At the request of the demons Jesus gave permission for them to enter a herd of swine. Immediately the swine ran into the sea and were drowned (vv. 32-33).

Why didn’t Jesus just destroy these demons, or send them to the abyss? Because the time for such a thing had not yet come. He healed many people of the destructive effects of demon possession, but He did not destroy the demons. The same question could be asked today as to why Jesus doesn’t stop all the evil in the world? His time has not yet come, but it will come. A man had been freed from the devil’s power, but the people thought only about the livestock (vv. 34-38). Jesus now urged the man to return to his family and tell them what God has done (v. 39).

Application

Satan does not care how much Biblical truth I know just as long as I do not live it. Truth that is only in my head is purely academic and never will get into my heart until it is practiced.

Luke 8:26-39 (English Standard Version)

Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.